How tough is a popup greenie?

13 years ago

Hi -

I had this crazy notion about leaving my popup greenhouse up through our New England winter... Partly out of laziness, partly out of the idea that it would be very convenient to have it out there already in the early spring...without having to dig through snow to clear a place for setting it up when I need it.

Am I crazy?

Snow would pile up around it...and it could be victimized by falling branches during a Nor'easter, I guess. But that could also happen during a storm in the summer (I am now rationalizing...).

Has anyone out there done this?

Thanks.

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Comments (12)

meyermike_1micha
13 years ago
If the snow does not weigh down the top and the possibility of collaspe might happen is not there, why not?

I would..I wish I could...

Mine is puleed apart by the winter, not because of the winds and rain, which mine hold up to very well, but because I fear loosing electricty and the plants freezing to death within minutes..

Or, the snow could build up on the top, and send it crashing down..

Other than these two possibilities, why not Tom?

Your not crazy, actually very creative!

Mike

Mike
meyermike_1micha
13 years ago
Tom, one other thought..

If your greenhouse held up very well after all the wind, gusts, 65mph at times, and rain we have been dealing with lately, I would think it would hold well in future storms..

The thing is, if it does not, and it blows down during winter, you will have to race the clock to save your plants from the frigid air..At least if summer, if it blew over, the plants would be spared the cold..

Mike
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TT, zone 5b MA
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the input, Mike.

I was actually going to keep it out there empty over the coldest part of the winter...those babies will be going into the garage when it is that frigid outside!

T
norma_2006
13 years ago
Encircle it with bamboo stakes. put bails of hay on all four sides, it helps keep the heat in. Put large pots of soil inside on all four corners. Be creative. Heavy rocks on the foor will help hold it down. Tie anchors and attach to other trees, or drive your car into the yard and anchor it to the car. or take put rope on all four cornes will the rope out so the car can drive over it to anchor it down. Our
Santa Ana winds have been up to at least 65 October winds can be fierce. I have 25 gal pots of rocks that I use. actually I don't mean to be flip, actually how cold does it get, what are you dealing with. how big is the pop up, and what is it made of. I have seen how England deals with these problems, including floods, that came into their houses, ruined book, and plants. It is a serious problem. I have bubble wrap to protect them from the cold. My friends from
Canada use several layers of news papers and made a cuff. They set the cactus into the front of the Garage door and left it open during the day, at night it was closed to keep dry.
They built a greenhouse into the rocks and sunk in half way down into the soil, double payned windows in the front only, heated floors, etc. The back and sides were made of cement block construction. The is where the orchids lived. Norma
To keep warm use thick heavy size bubble wrap, make sure you have air circulation like fans, get old discarded sliding glass doors for weights. Be Creaive, Norma
gardenbear1
13 years ago
Tom, Being from Ma. I know how the winters can be, but if your putting your plants in the garage in the colder part of the winter, I say leave it up, I had a cheap green house last me 2 winters, until a spring storm came up and took most of a tree down on it, I use too brace the center with a 2x4 so the show wouldn,t build up and cave the roof in, next green house won't be under a tree.

Bear
TT, zone 5b MA
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi -

Thanks for all the comments, everyone.

Bear - I think my biggest fear is also the large tree limb falling down. We have a bunch of northern white pines up here that shed branches like crazy - but they may just be far enough away to not be an issue. Also, the roof is sloped so perhaps snow would slide off?

{{gwi:616513}}

T
meyermike_1micha
13 years ago
Hi Tom. I think the snow will build up and cave it in.....

It builds up feet on even our pitched roofs...Snow has a funny way of collecting on all areas outdoors..lol..I suppose you could keep an eye on the snow as it builds up and just brush it off?
I have even seen snow collapse the side of my friends greenhouse as it build up around it..he forgot to shovel it away from his before it froze over and over...

If it was hot in there, maybe the heat would melt it as it landed on the top..Let's hope for a warm winter...

Mike
Andrew Scott
13 years ago
Hey Mike,
My friend Jay who lives in Ohio has a permanent greenhouse that he had added on to his house. His is heated year round as he keeps an awesome tropical fruit collection in there year round. Last winter, he had a post asking how to get rid of snow that builds up on the roof so even if it is heated, the snow will not melt. I know he has to keep his nice and warm as he is growing some ultra tropical fruits like jackfruit, and mangosteen.
Andrew
meyermike_1micha
13 years ago
Tom, my mom has a comment for you..

She said that without it being heated, she wouldn't leave it out..Plastic can get vary hard, almost brittle like, out in subfreezing temps, and it could change the structure of your home..JAT...
meyermike_1micha
13 years ago
Andrew, hello!

I will write you later..:-)))))))

Mike
mrlike2u
13 years ago
If I understand you correctly you are worried about brances falling on it, snow collapsing the outer parts inwards and as well possible cracking of the plastic if you choose not to heat it ?
I think we all know the soulution here but incase you need someone to be blunt.
Not to sound rude but in the time it took you to post and read all the follow ups couldn't you of already had it stored for winter ?

Just keep in mind it was hmmm 1978 ? and 109+/- inches of white for one single storm.
TT, zone 5b MA
Original Author
13 years ago
For the record, I am pretty sure I am packing it away, too. Just wanted to see if anybody here had any experience leaving theirs up in a similar climate, and it coming through with no issues...

Mrlike2u - I don't mind reading through all the comments - it's why I post silly questions here.

BTW, I think that blizzard ONLY topped out at about 50 inches in spots ;-)...

T

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